Polledri left out of Italian squad

» BACKROW powerhouse Jake Polledri looks like he will have to wait until 2023 to return to the international arena having missed out on Italy’s latest training squad ahead of the Autumn Nations series.

The 19-cap Azzurri number eight is on the comeback trail following nearly two years on the sidelines after suffering a horror knee and leg injury playing for Italy against Scotland in 2020 which left him with slow-fixing nerve damage.

Polledri is yet to make a

Premiership appearance during Gloucester’s disjointed start to the 2022/23 league season.

The 26-year-old has played four games this season, running out for Gloucester United against Hartpury in pre-season before making a pair of appearances for the Cherry and Whites in the Premiership Rugby Cup. Last weekend he ran out for side Hartpury in their 39-31 Championship win over Nottingham.

Polledri sat down with Italy head coach Kieran Crowley last month to discuss his ambitions to pull on the blue jersey again but has been left out of 35-man squad called up for a training camp in Verona from October 23 to 28. Gloucester team mate Stephen Varney will be involved despite slipping down to third choice scrum half at Kingsholm behind Ben Meehan and Charlie Chapman.

The official Azzurri squad will be named on October 29 with Italy facing Samoa, Australia and South Africa on the following weekends.